I loved the start of this show: the mad woman washing a pile of books. Our library has special wax for wiping things like jam off covers, but I've never known anyone to actually clean individual pages. No wonder she ended up throwing the whole book into a bucket.

Shelf Life is a collection of quirky snapshots, full of singing and dancing, seeking to show what life was like in Swansea's Old Library, where it's staged. We don't do any dancing in our library, but you might see a little zebra walking about when the toddlers dress up for storytime. No one has ever burst into song either, although you do sometimes have to ask people to turn down their computers. We get a lot of Lady Gaga, and lads playing YouTube clips of rude football chants. Those are unsuitable.

Shelf Life is a promenade show that takes you through the old Victorian building and beyond. In the courtyard, a couple have a fight. They're whacking each other. This rang true. We get our share of domestics, couples screaming: "How dare you cheat on me! She's a skank." You have to say: "Do you mind?"

They definitely got the clothes right: natural fibres, flowing skirts from Monsoon, pearls, short hair – always short hair. And they caught the excitement of having all this information and being able to use it to help people with their aspirations. I'm not sure about the couple stripping off while reading, though. No one could remember that ever happening.

In general, the world of Shelf Life felt unfamiliar. Things were stuffy, regimented, hierarchical. They treated readers the way hospitals treat patients. Nowadays we say: "What can I do for you?" And our library's much more open plan, with a younger, more vibrant staff, although they are just as eccentric. You have to be. We had a woman in the other day who thought the FBI were after her. Every time a phone rang, she thought it was them.

Lizzy Evans is assistant manager of Swansea Central Library. Shelf Life is at the Old Library, Swansea, until 25 April. Box office: 01792 602 060.